


Ruin the Friendship

by maggieisalarrie (ls2k14)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Eating Disorders, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, I'll add more as I go, Lack of self care, M/M, Slow Burn, eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 07:00:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18231485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ls2k14/pseuds/maggieisalarrie
Summary: He watches as a calm smile spreads its way across Louis’s face. This feels bigger, somehow. The atmosphere in the car, the air between them, is charged with something Harry has never felt before. It’s crackling and sparkling, but still so soft and gentle. It feels like Pop Rocks exploding on your tongue; a brief sting soothed by the sugary-sweet flavor. It’s addicting.ORAn unexpected on-campus job offer brings Harry new friends, good times, and, possibly, a new love interest.





	Ruin the Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry receives an email.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Newville College is completely fictional. I made it up myself.

The branches on the trees are swaying gently in the light breeze and the flowers planted along the walkways are in full bloom. The sky is the perfect shade of blue and there are only a few small clouds dotting the sky. The weather is perfect for ignoring all responsibilities and here Harry is, holed up in the dark and dusty library, attempting to study for his last exam of his junior year.

He sighs and imagines he can hear the birds chirping, the wheels of children’s bicycles rolling over the uneven sidewalks, the occasional car coasting by on the nearly empty streets. He watches as a butterfly floats by and groups of other students pass by the window, enjoying their final few days at Newville College before they head home for the summer.

He decides he can squeeze in a quick break to sneak over to the student center to grab a snack but just as he’s putting his notebooks in his backpack, his computer chimes with the sound of a new email. He opens the message and rolls his eyes to himself as he begins to read.

> **_Copy Writer Position Available at TNT_ **
> 
> _From: Louis Tomlinson (ltomlinson1@newville.edu)_
> 
> _To: Harry Styles (hstyles1@newville.edu)_
> 
> _Hello,_
> 
> _My name is Louis Tomlinson and starting next fall I’ll be the Executive Editor for Newville College’s student-run newspaper,_ The Newville Times _(commonly known on campus as TNT)._
> 
> _Because of your work with_ The Quest _and your personal blog, along with several strong recommendations from professors and peers, we would like to offer you a paid Work Study position with us at TNT. The document attached contains a detailed description of the position and other basic information. If you have any questions, you may forward them to our advisor, Professor Corden (jcorden@newville.edu), or myself (ltomlinson1@newville.edu)._
> 
> _Please respond to this email with your acceptance or denial by this Thursday at 5:00 p.m. I look forward to your response and hope to speak with you soon._
> 
> _Have a great summer!_
> 
> _Louis T._

If this is the same Louis that was in his Small Group Communication class last spring, then this will be quite the headache. That kid was one of the most annoying people he’s ever met. He was constantly arguing with everyone over every little thing and talking to his friends while the professor tried to teach. Probably one of those _lax bros_ or something.

He really hopes it’s not that kid…

Harry opens the document attached to the email and starts going through the job description.

> **_About The Newville Times:_ **
> 
> _TNT is a student-run newspaper that is published every other week during the school year, excluding any breaks recognized by the college (such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, etc.). The official publishing schedule will be decided by the Advisor and the current Executive Editor._
> 
> **_Job Description:_ **
> 
> _The Newville Times (TNT) Copy Editor’s main responsibility will be editing every page of the newspaper before it gets sent to print (typically between eight and twelve pages per edition). The Copy Editor will be the last person to go through each article, so it is crucial for the Copy Editor to be able to catch even the smallest of mistakes. The Copy Editor may also occasionally write articles when staff writers are unable to do so or whenever they wish to submit an unassigned piece (such as opinion pieces, updates and recaps for student organizations and events they participate in, and anything else the Executive Editor approves of). The Copy Editor will be expected to attend all staff meetings and other mandatory events._

He heaves another deep sigh, earning a scowl from the girl sitting two tables over, and looks out the window again. This is exactly why he quit his other Work Study job. He loved working at the radio station. He loved playing his favorite songs for everyone and bringing in people to join him on his show, getting to help the Radio 101 students with their shows, and everything else he got to do there. He had a lot of fun, but it got to be too much and he needed a break.

And now _Louis_ has offered him a job not even a month later.

He really shouldn’t… But he’s going to. It’s a great opportunity to gain more experience and he could definitely use the extra position for his resume. This will help him get a real job after graduation.

He replies to this Louis person and accepts the position, hoping for the best. He finishes loading his backpack, pats his pockets to check for his phone and wallet, and heads to the student center. He’s treating himself to some coffee and maybe even a muffin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting this to motivate myself to complete this fic. I've procrastinated for far too long.


End file.
